Environmental Impacts of Prospecting and Mining in Namibian National Parks : Implications for Legislative Compliance
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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF PROSPECTING AND MINING IN NAMIBIAN NATIONAL PARKS: IMPLICATIONS FOR LEGISLATIVE COMPLIANCE By Christina Mansfeld Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Arts at the University of Stellenbosch Supervisor: Prof. J. H. van der Merwe April 2006 Department of Geography and Environmental Studies University of Stellenbosch ii I, the undersigned, hereby declare that the work contained in this thesis is my own original work and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it at any university for a degree. Signature: Date: iii ABSTRACT Namibia’s environmental legislation is fragmented and outdated, and in particular mining and prospecting in parks of Namibia is poorly legislated. This problem was analysed with the Skeleton Coast Park being chosen as the study region, as it was considered to be a representative example for parks in Namibia. The Skeleton Coast Park offers both pre-mining and post-mining characteristics; therefore affording the possibility to ascertain the environmental impacts that mining and prospecting have on the environment. The aims of the study were to illustrate the gaps in legislation in regard to mining and prospecting in parks of Namibia and to provide management guidelines for mining and prospecting in these parks. Objectives of this study included gathering baseline environmental information for the Skeleton Coast Park; creating and analysing a spatial database for the occurrence and type of current prospecting and mining activities in the Skeleton Coast Park; analysing and documenting techniques currently practiced for prospecting and mining; and identifying shortcomings in legislation and policy guidelines regulating these activities. The study results highlight the extraordinary sensitivity and uniqueness of the natural environment in terms of physiography, ecological functioning and vulnerability to human interference of the life forms occurring here. Results confirm that mining and prospecting techniques can have detrimental environmental effects given the poor management practices recorded. Also, prospecting in the Skeleton Coast Park indicates no lucrative source of diamonds. Even though currently the entire coast line is given out to Exclusive Prospecting Licences, results do not indicate that any company is undertaking serious active prospecting. Regarding regulation it is evident that new, more encompassing legislation has been drafted, but that the promulgation of the legislation is hampered by the non-finalisation of the process. Several new draft bills currently in place contradict each other and need proper alignment. iv OPSOMMING Namibië se omgewingswetgewing is gefragmenteer, verouderd en, veral ten opsigte van mynbou en prospektering in Namibiese parke, swak omskryf. Hierdie probleem is in die Skedelkuspark as verteenwoordigend van Namibiese parke as studiegebied ondersoek. In die Skedelkuspark kom ongerepte natuurgebiede en mynbou-versteurde gebiede voor, sodat die omgewingsimpakte van mynbou- en prospekteringsaktiwiteite ontleed kan word. Die doel van die studie was om gapings in wetgewing met betrekking tot mynbou- en prospektering in Namibiese parke uit te wys en om bestuursriglyne vir die bedryf van mynbou en prospektering in die parke te verskaf. Daarvoor is die doelwitte gestel en bereik om verwysingsvlak-inligting rakende omgewingstoestande in die park te versamel; ’n ruimtelike inligtingstelsel oor die voorkoms en tipes van alle huidige mynbou en prospekteringsaktiwiteite daarin te ontwerp en ontleed; huidige mynbou- en prospekteringsmetodes te boekstaaf en ontleed; en die tekortkominge in wetgewing en beleid wat hierdie aktiwiteite moet reguleer te identifiseer. Studieresultate beklemtoon die buitengewone sensitiwiteit en uniekheid van die natuurlike omgewing betreffende die fisiografie, ekologiese funksionering en kwesbaarheid vir menslike aktiwiteit van lewensvorme in die park. Resultate bevestig die nadelige omgewingsimpak wat mynbou en prospektering weens aangetekende swak bestuurspraktyke kan hê. Verder lewer prospekteringsresultate in die Skedelkuspark geen bewys van winsgewende diamantbronne nie. Hoewel die hele kuslyn tans onder Eksklusiewe Prospekteerlisensies toegeken is, kon geen bewyse van ondernemings wat ernstig en aktief prospekteer gevind word nie. Betreffende regulering blyk dit dat nuwe, meer omvattende wetgewing reeds ontwerp is, maar dat promulgering draal weens ‘n stadige proses. Verskeie nuwe konsepwette wat tans opgestel is is teenstrydig en benodig behoorlike onderlinge belyning. v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Without the assistance from the Directorate of Environmental Affairs who gave me direct access to all their files and data this study would never have been possible. In particular I would like to thank the director Mr T Nghitila. For constant assistance and being a soundboard I would like to thank the acting deputy director Mr S Shikongo. Mr J Patterson, Mr D Roadman and Mr B Awob from Parks and Wildlife provided constant assistance throughout the surveys. The Ministry of Mines and Energy provided the shape files while special gratitude goes to the Chief Geologist. Dr Peter Tarr from SAIEA in Windhoek, thank you for your input and guidance throughout this thesis, but especially for the expert review of Chapter 6 on relevant Namibian legislation. A special thank you to Helen Suitch for proof reading the manuscript and for making valuable recommendations and corrections. At University of Stellenbosch, my supervisor Professor van der Merwe who provided constant counsel both on survey and in the report writing. Without the support from my mother, who was there constantly throughout, this study would never have been completed. Similarly I must also thank friends who, through their constant support over the last few years, have made it easier for me to complete this thesis. A special thank you to the Milke family who not only supported me but also backed my fieldtrips. vi CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 MINING: OPPORTUNITY OR PROBLEM IN NAMIBIA? ................................ 1 1.1 MINING VS CONSERVATION IN NAMIBIA ...............................................................................1 1.2 THE RESEARCH PROBLEM......................................................................................................3 1.3 RESEARCH AIM AND OBJECTIVES ..........................................................................................4 1.4 DATA SOURCES .....................................................................................................................5 1.5 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................................6 1.5.1 Field survey and secondary sources.............................................................................6 1.5.2 Problems encountered with data surveys.....................................................................7 1.5.3 Data relevance..............................................................................................................7 1.6 THE CASE STUDY APPROACH .................................................................................................8 1.7 RESEARCH DESIGN ................................................................................................................8 1.8 REPORT STRUCTURE............................................................................................................10 CHAPTER 2 THE PROSPECTING AND MINING INDUSTRY IN NAMIBIA...................... 11 2.1 MINERAL EXPLOITATION IN NAMIBIA .................................................................................11 2.2 THE MINERALS ....................................................................................................................11 2.2.1 Mining activity locations ...........................................................................................11 2.2.2 Diamonds ...................................................................................................................13 2.2.3 Uranium .....................................................................................................................14 2.2.4 Base metals ................................................................................................................15 2.2.5 Precious metals ..........................................................................................................15 2.2.6 Industrial minerals......................................................................................................15 2.2.7 Salt .............................................................................................................................15 2.3 MINING CONTROL ...............................................................................................................16 2.3.1 The role of government..............................................................................................16 2.3.2 Mining claims ............................................................................................................16 2.3.3 Reconnaissance licences............................................................................................17 2.3.4 Exclusive prospecting licences ..................................................................................17 2.3.5 Mining licences..........................................................................................................17 2.3.6 Mineral deposit retention licences .............................................................................17